At almost two-thirds of companies today, a senior IT leader is devising a new IT strategy management plan or revising a workforce plan to prepare for a change. After that, the leader is meeting with the finance to discuss the budget update. Before leaving for the day, this leader might also be drafting a weekly IT team newsletter or preparing for a monthly meeting.

And, no we are not talking about the CIO or Chief Information Officer. This leader is none other than the latest and greatest IT Chief of Staff. Thanks, to the growth of the digital era and the increased workload of the CIO, the IT chief of staff who reports to the CIO has now taken up some important responsibilities.

The most important duty of the chief of staff is to frame the business strategy, process and methodologies including communication, financial management, change management, PMO and more. If you are wondering why this new role of IT chief of staff has come about and why are they shaping the business strategy, we have the answers for you.

The Shift to Digitization

IT functions are now transforming outdated operating and business models in tandem with the digital revolution. This big shift to support digitization initiatives has promoted the IT chief of staff to implement the right business strategy.

Majority of the IT chief staffs are involved in implementing new functional IT design that will give the business a competitive edge.

The Need to Adapt to Changing Technologies

Nowadays, there is a need for organizations to stay updated with current technologies. New technologies are evolving at an exponential rate. What we learn today, may become obsolete tomorrow – yes, it is possible! Hence, this creates a need for a technologically current person to serve as an advisor during strategic decision-making. And, this is where the IT chief staffs are expected to contribute to shaping the overall business strategy.

Strategic Innovation

Harness the power to create, connect and inspire! In today’s modern competitive world, there is a constant need for companies to innovate in order to survive. Either they need to develop new products with new technology or create new processes to evolve.

Again, this is where the IT chief of staff is needed to clearly assess the company’s position and offer the best strategic and leadership management. It is the responsibility of the chief to push the boundaries and think new to come up with the right strategy.

With the onset of the digital era and modern demands of changing technologies, the IT chief of staff is becoming indispensable. In fact, it is pretty hard to imagine how organizations will be able to meet up to the expectations of the digital enterprise without a chief of staff by their side.